10 Things to Know Before Going to a European Christmas Market
Christmas markets have quickly become my new holiday tradition. I can’t believe it took me so long to visit these European gems. I didn’t really know what to expect, I’d seen everyone’s pictures and it seemed like mulled wine and twinkling lights was all they had to offer. In my head I think I was comparing it to a Bangkok night market with a Christmas theme.
Related Post: 10 Reasons to Visit a European Christmas Market
Know Before You Go to a Christmas Market
1. Christmas Markets are BUSY.
No matter what day you go, which market you go to, or what time it is, Christmas markets are SLAMMED. I’m not even exaggerating. If you follow me on social media, I had a lot of people asking me how I got pictures with no one else in them and if it was because the market had first opened or it was a weekday… NOPE! I was just very patient and a lot snapping pictures in between people walking by. My tips for helping with the crowds would be to check if the market is only on for the weekend because then it’s going to be even busier than a market that’s on every day throughout the season, and if the town is smaller then it’s going to feel a little more cramped…. so choose your markets wisely.
2. A City Can Have Multiple Markets.
You’re not limited to visiting just one market in the city, most of them have an least 3 or 4 scattered around so make sure you pick up a map (a lot of the cities offer a map somewhere… you just have to find that somewhere!) or do some research online before you go. The city center or market cross will most likely have a big market around it, but it’s the side streets and other areas that you might normally miss if you don’t have a map. However, don’t be afraid to explore on your own because you can find some hidden gems that aren’t “officially” a part of the Christmas market, but will have a small poster with an arrow pointing down a street or into a building. I found a great Christmas craft market that way filled with super small businesses and unique one-of-kind handmade gifts.
3. It’s Going to Be Cold.
This might be a given, but you walk outside and it feels a little brisk and you think you can handle it wearing a shirt and a jacket… think again! You are outside the whole time! There’s not much relief from the cold (unless you find a tee-pee with a fire pit in the middle- true story) and it can go from cold, to freezing, to raining, to snowing all in one day! The days are also shorter (something this Floridian wasn’t used to), so your light is limited… by 4:00pm, it’s getting dark and getting colder. Prepare yourself and layer up, bring a hat and gloves too, you’ll thank me later!
4. There’s Other Drinks Besides Mulled Wine.
Of course you have to try mulled wine! Then you have to try mulled wine with rum, then mulled wine with amaretto, rum and whipped cream, then blueberry flavored mulled wine… you get the point, but you have other options once you get tired of the mulled wine. Also, if you’re curious as to what mulled wine it, it’s wine that’s hot and mixed with spices. I didn’t think I would like, but I loved it! There’s mulled cider, which is hot cider with spices, if you like apple cider with the cinnamon on top, then this drink is for you. My personal favorite Christmas market beverage is the spiked hot chocolate. Bonus points if you can find a stall that has the flavored Bailey’s… Bailey’s Coffee and hot chocolate is delicious! It’s also really good with peppermint schnapps. There’s also plenty of prosecco and champagne to go around (don’t worry, they don’t heat that up).
5. Walking Around During the Day is Just as Good as the Night.
A lot of people only visit Christmas markets during the evening, but most of them open at 10am or 11am, so why don’t you check out the market during the day too! It’s a completely different experience and if you are shopping then you can see a little more detail in what you are buying. If you go on a grey day (which happens a quick a bit), then most likely the lights (or some of the lights) will be on.
6. They Sell More Than Just Christmas Decorations.
Maybe I was naive for thinking that the only thing you could buy at a Christmas market were decorations and ornaments, but I was wrong… so that’s why it goes on my list. I’m sure there’s one other people out there that thinks the same thing! Right? The stalls are not just nutcrackers and twinkling lights, there’s plenty of local vendors with hand made crafts and artisan food and drinks. Fun fact: I talked to so many vendors that drive 2-3 hours every day from the countryside just to sell at the Christmas markets! My favorite finds are the flavored liquers that you normally wouldn’t find at the store (they give out samples too… always try before you buy, even if it’s 10:15am!), and handmade notebook covers that will jazz up any plain writing pad.
7. Bring Your Own Bag.
If you plan on purchasing anything (which I never do… but always end up buying a bottle of flavored vodka, lotus flower tea light holder, 2 pairs of earrings, handmade marble ramekins, a festive nutcracker robin figurine, and more desserts than I’ve eaten in my life – all of these things are true, by the way) you’ll need to bring your own bag (BYOB!!). It’s not that the stalls don’t have bags, most of them do… but they are either plastic (don’t we have enough of that going around) or the paper bags that don’t have handles and trust me when I say, you’ll want to keep your hands in your pockets (even with gloves on) for the majority of the time… you don’t want to be holding onto a flimsy paper bag with a glass bottle of liquer in it.
8. Getting to the Markets.
This isn’t really something you think about when you are planning your Christmas market route, but if you rent a car, you might have problems if you are driving around to multiple cities. These markets are huge and they have to go somewhere… unfortunately that means blocking off streets and taking over public parking lots to place the markets, so that means driving into town and finding parking for the market poses a difficult challenge. Always look on the town’s official website or local news site and find out where parking is going to be… most of the time they have a park and ride just outside the town. That means you get an overpriced parking spot on a piece of grass in an open field. Luckily, cities know that these markets bring thousands of people into the town, so there’s always extra bus routes and extra trains… always check!
9. Research Entry Fees.
Not so much entry fees… there might only be one of two Christmas markets in Europe that actually charge an entry fee (which is only a couple of dollars anyway), but I’m talking about parking fees and hidden fees you don’t think about. A lot of castle grounds will do a Christmas fair, but you have to check if it’s free, or free with admission (which could be wayyyyy more than what you planned to spend), and check for park and ride fees (which might be the only way to get into the city center because of blocked roads) because sometimes they will charge $15.00- $20.00 just for parking (you know, that whole taking advantage of the market goers because they know you HAVE to visit).
Related Post: Christmas at Chatsworth House
10. Bring an Umbrella.
This goes off the “it’s going to be cold so layer up” reason. It’s Europe, so it could start raining at any time (or snowing). I have gone to a market in the morning and been there for a few hours only for it to start pouring it down and I was stuck with no shelter (because most markets have VERY LIMITED cover) and no umbrella… I didn’t even have a hat, just earmuffs! It was my first Christmas market and I didn’t know what to expect and now my knowledge gets passed onto you! Lesson learned.
I hope this helps all of you market goers out there and if there’s anything I’ve missed or something you wish you would’ve known before you went to a Christmas market, let me know in the comments below!
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